---
title: "Website"
description: "My personal website and blog"
githubUrl: "https://github.com/timmypidashev/web"
demoUrl: "https://timmypidashev.dev"
techStack: ["Astro", "Typescript", "MDX"]
date: "2024-10-03"
image: "/projects/web/thumbnail.jpeg"
---

## Overview
A portfolio website and resume for yours truly. 

## Development Highlights
Building the second version of my website was a dream. This was my first time using Astro,
and wow, just wow! For starters, The entire site is ~1,500 LOC (excluding MDX). That is 
small for the amount of things I was able to accomplish. That aside, Astro's simplicity is
unmatched. Coming from React-based frameworks, the ability to just import react components 
and have them work out of the box was unexpected. And the astro layout files! They are so 
easy to look at, it just turns on some kind of code ocd within my head. I can't stop admiring
it. All this to say, Astro was the perfect choice for my website.

## Challenges & Roadblocks
Although the development process was extremely simple and fun, there really were no challenges,
which allowed me to express my creativity to my fullest. Building out Conway's game of life as 
a canvas background simulation wasn't the first idea I had, and that whole endeavour started as a 
growing vines simulation similar to that of the old Poptropica flash game loading screens, all the way
to a full fishtank simulation like Asciiquarium. But, they just never felt final to me, and this simulation
was simple to implement and most importantly very lightweight compared to the other simulations I was 
working on.

## Summary
The result is deeply satisfying - a personal website that authentically reflects my style.
It captures my minimalist desktop aesthetic, down to the font choices and clean layout.
After many hours of careful work, I am very proud of what I have created for myself and hope
the reader agrees :)
